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From The Vaults

Proposal To Stop Democratic Primary Endorsements in Montgomery County Quashed At Reorganization Meeting

By Mike Bock, on June 3rd, 2010

My motion to amend the constitution of the Montgomery County Democratic Party at the Reorganization Meeting last night received a polite hearing, but was overwhelmingly rejected. There were 117 delegates in attendance and a generous estimate is that my motion received, maybe, 25 votes. (187 of Montgomery County’s 360 precincts elected delegates, but 70 were “no shows.”) My motion was the only proposal to change the constitution.

After the meeting, I thanked Karl Keith, who was chairing the meeting at the time when my motion was discussed, for his consideration and for the easy and affable manner he showed in his position as chairperson. I spoke three times — only the first of which is captured on the video below. David Esrati – who is seeking the nomination to become the Democratic candidate for Congress for Oh-3 — was the only other person who spoke in favor of the motion and he was allowed to speak twice. Several people spoke in opposition, including the chairperson, Mark Owens.

My motion, and the short debate it initiated, was the only non-scripted part of the whole meeting. All the key outcomes of the meeting had been determined –by the powers that be — prior to the meeting and there was no variation. Mark Owens was chosen by acclimation to continue in his position as chairperson and former Dayton mayor, Rhine McLin, was chosen by acclimation as vice-chairperson.

At the Ward caucus, I was chosen as Ward Leader for Kettering’s Ward 4.